DfE lied about No Deal preparations - schools are not ready

[noblegiraffe]

Despite saying in July that plans had been made to mitigate risks to schools, the DfE has refused to provide these in response to an FOI request.

schoolsweek.co.uk/did-dfe-mislead-parliament-over-no-deal-brexit-preparations/

In what other areas have we been lied to about No-Deal planning?

Clavinova are you on commission for the Brexit dept or something?

I wish - I'm a 'sometimes bored' SAH mum. I used to have a professional job though.

You can blame James O'Brien - he annoyed me so much I started doing my own research on Brexit.

Clav has an enormous collection of sows ears, which she spends an equally enormous amount of time attempting to fashion.

Actually, I think I'm pretty quick with google.

maddy68
We can't afford to stockpile , we have been told there will probably be good shortages and we should plan accordingly.How exactly are we supposed to do that?

Hopefully your suppliers will stockpile for you - have you contacted them? Do you use one company or several?

I also live in Kent and have done for decades. It really is bad here when Europe goes on strike or there are delays. Most of the county main roads become unusable. All of the Kent MPs regardless of party have been challenging on Operation Stack and use of motorways.

But I am chuckling at the posts about nutritional school meals. I have now worked in 2 schools - 1 independent and 1 state. I thought the independent one was dreadful enough but the state one is beyond belief. No wonder nearly all the children bring packed lunches. There is one hot meat meal and 1 hot veggie, sometime with vegetables mostly not, jacket potatoes with beans or cheese, sandwiches, the salad bar is about 3 items. Pudding is stodge - fruit costs extra. I really dont know if Brexit will impact or not, but there is little sign of fresh anything at our school now.

“A leaked analysis of the risks of a no-deal Brexit, published by the Observer newspaper in August, said schools may have to close, exams disrupted and fresh food for pupils’ meals could run short. The document stated food shortages could costs schools up to £85 million a year because of price increases.”

The leaked analysis seems to contradict the bored housewife.

BBC article - No space left for stockpiling

UK warehouses are "full", raising doubts about the ability of UK firms to stockpile goods ahead of a potential no-deal Brexit on 31 October.

"There is no available space," Peter Ward of the United Kingdom Warehousing Association (UKWA) told BBC Newsnight.

The estimated vacancy rate for warehouses of over 100,000 square feet nationwide for the second quarter is 6.8%, data seen by Newsnight shows.

In the "inner M25" area the vacancy rate has fallen to just 2.2%.

A leaked analysis of the risks of a no-deal Brexit, published by the Observer newspaper in August, said schools may have to close, exams disrupted and fresh food for pupils’ meals could run short.

Your leaked analysis is reported here;

www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/aug/03/secret-education-report-no-deal-brexit-school-chaos

"The five-page document – marked “Official Sensitive” and with the instruction “Do Not Circulate” – also raises the possibility of teacher absences caused by travel disruption, citing schools in Kent as particularly at risk."

"Under a heading School Travel, the analysis makes clear that the potential problems are “not countrywide”, and cites Dover in Kent as at the highest risk of disruption, stating: “Risk of travel disruption could result in school and early years settings closures, pupil and staff absence and exam disruption"

In fact it was Kent County Council who reported these concerns in December 2018 - hardly a 'leaked report';

www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/dec/06/no-deal-brexit-could-cause-chaos-across-kent-warns-counci

Kent CC also said in December; "if the worst-case scenario came to pass, it would inform everyone affected."

Now they are saying they expect minimal disruption with a 'no-deal' Brexit.

The document stated food shortages could costs schools up to £85 million a year because of price increases.

That figure is based on this scenario though;
"Worst case scenario estimate of the increased costs–£40 to £85m a year for schools in relation to free school meal provision based on price increases of 10-20%.”

Mark Carney's latest 'worst case scenario' is a 5-6% price increase, not 10-20%;

So over £20 million in increased costs to schools who currently cannot afford to run effectively as it is?

That’s supposed to be reassuring?

BBC article - No space left for stockpiling

Big warehouse available here - November 2019;

www.londongateway.com/logisticspark/availability

So over £20 million in increased costs to schools who currently cannot afford to run effectively as it is?

Worst case scenario.
I thought the new Government were promising lots of new funding for schools.

Currently announced school funding plans bring the real numbers back to what they were in 2009
whoop whoop

DfE haven't even finalised which of their staff are being redeployed to the Home Office. It's not completely their fault, everything keeps stopping and starting from Cabinet Office and we're told different things on different days. It's very frustrating.

Signing off for the night.

I thought the new Government were promising lots of new funding for schools.

From the magic money tree? Certainly not by Oct 31st, and besides there are existing massive holes in budgets that need to be filled before new ones can be patched.

I'm sure if we get the new funding promised, other funding will be removed surreptitiously eg funding covering increased pension costs

As a matter of interest, does anyone know how many dedicated traffic officers there are in Kent? (By dedicated I mean that’s the only job they do, not whether they take it seriously or not 😉) I’m looking for an official number but can’t find one.

To Whitfield and Capel Le Ferne, I'd add, in no particular order, Hawkinge, Folkestone, Sellindge, the entire A20 and A259. Also Canterbury and the B2068.

People who don't know Kent don't understand how few roads there are!!

@itsgettingweird Baclofen is on the list of medications that could be affected sorry to say. We are already seeing huge medication shortages and some drugs completely unavailable and we’ve not even left yet! It’s going to be awful.

I heard Boris promised 40 new hospitals that turned out to be 6 hospitals and not all new. His funding for schools will probably turn out to be a box of board pens, half of them yellow.

Big warehouse available here - November 2019

Um Clav, we really need the space to stockpile before November. You can’t stockpile after the event you are stockpiling for.

I imagine that after a no deal brexit quite a few warehouses might become empty rather quickly

Back to school menus. Perhaps lentil and bean pottage with seasonal veg will make a comeback. The food you need rather than the food you want. One choice on the menu, take it or leave it.

I don't expect it'll make any difference Clavinova posting actual reports refuting any of your assumptions. Your still all going to whip up as much hysteria as you can. You have no interest in facts or plans all you want to do is scoff at leavers and tell us we're DOOMED I SAY DOOMED!!

Lentil and beans would put my sons life at risk. He has multiple severe allergies. It is not acceptable to risk food supplies in this way.
One choice does not work for people with special dietary needs due to health purposes.

This soundbite might sound comforting to some but like a lot of these lines, it is lacking substance and does not address the complexity of certain situations. Furthermore, it is likely to be as trustworthy as the brexit bus!

Referring to the soundbite of ‘everyone will have the food they need’